XAF-1 Phobos
Summary History and Use Developed by SEF engineers at MOD Boscombe Down Down the XAF-1 or 'Phobos' was developed as high speed interceptor to provide a defensive screen to Earth's capitol ships against waves of Goa'uld Deathgliders as well as a Gate-deployable fighter (in it's original Type A Variant). The original experimental craft (Phobos Alpha) used airframe from the development of the Joint Strike Fighter program refitted with alien devices recovered by the SEF from prior missions. Subsequent models have relied increasingly on reverse engineered versions of these technologies manufactured on Earth as the craft has moved from limited production to full manufacture with its own purpose-built airframe. The Phobos has been in continual service within the Royal Air Force since it's development with a small number retained by the SEF for experimental purposes. Following the formation of the UNE Fleet the majority of the existing XAF-1's were transferred to the fighter compliments of Earth's capitol ships but British Military has replaced much of it's ageing fighters with Type Bs. During their original operation the Phobos was based out of MOD Boscombe Down which still serves as the home base for the SEF's evaluation and support 'Wild Card' squadron as well as the current experimental test centre for future generations of the craft.. Within the UEG Fleet, the XAF-1 serves as a defensive dog fighter in support of the BC-304 Battlecruisers and Mars-class Battleships. As well as a counter-fighter escort to the F-302 and Alliance-class Corvettes. Hull The production-model Phobos takes advantage of both the Waterhouse-type and Blake-type material innovations utilised in the armour worn by the SEF. By combining a weave of these materials around a robust superstructure the Phobos is capable of surviving damaging strikes to its superstructure that would cripple aircraft of its size. Earlier test models relied on alien armour technologies but difficulties in reverse engineering and replicating this armour required the production model to rely on more easily produced native armours developed by the SEF Systems The production-model Phobos takes advantage of Earth-developed Crystal Technologies for its on-board computing requirements, this allows it to have an incredibly reactive combat suite that processes information rapidly. Experimental variants of the Phobos have incorporated the ability to interface SEF Crystal-PDA technologies in order to install additional programs such as on-board artificial intelligence. Onboard sensors are provided by the advanced EuroRadar Captor-V radar and sensor suite that rely on the powerful processing technologies of the on-board crystalline computers to provide one of the best systems of its type. Due to its role in space combat, the Phobos relies on a dual-phase ejection system, in outer space environments the contents of the cockpit space is ejected as a 'life pod' that can sustain the pilot for up to 36 hours and survive reentry into an atmosphere. Within an atmosphere the hatch of the cockpit blows and ejects the pilot as most common fighter ejection systems. The Phobos is propelled by a pair of Rolls Royce Ion Drives which allow it to reach blisteringly fast speeds that it's on-board sensor systems allow pilots to compensate for, making it vastly more manoeuvrable and rapid then the F-302 it is normally deployed alongside. In addition to this the Phobos has an on-board hyperspace window generator allowing it to travel via hyperspace to any destination and thus operate separately to carriers on long-range strike missions against extra-solar targets, or to emerge from hyperspace deployed from a parent Carrier. Weaponry The Phobos' primary armament is a pair of Plasma Cannons that were reverse engineered from Goa'uld 'Staff Cannon' technology these serve it in an air-to-air intercept as well as a limited ground attack role. Because of the internal space required to accommodate it's retractable wings the Type A Phobos carries no additional weaponry, however the more commonly used Type B sacrifices wing retraction to incorporate internal weapon bays that allow it to carry an internal payload of four missiles. The Type B has an additional four modular wing hardpoints that can be outfitted with a range of additional modules from additional mission-specific payloads, to additional fuel and additional equipment. This does increase it's profile making it easier to detect with sensors, and reduces manoeuvrability when it is operating in atmosphere. Powerplant The core power plant on a Phobos is a Deuterium fusion plant. It's plasma cannons draw power from several Naquadah power cells that serve as the primary source of ammunition for the craft. Shields The Phobos is protected by a single light shield generator capable of providing limited defence against most conventional interceptor weapons. This compensates for its smaller scale and lighter armoured hull compared to the F-302 that it is often paired with. This is based off recovered alien technology of unknown provenance. Variants Phobos X The original generation of Phobos 'Experimental' craft had a myriad of unique systems resulting in a number of sub-variants never put into full production by either the SEF. These include the Phobos ISTAR/ECM which sacrifices weaponry to provide Electronic Countermeasures and Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance capability and the Phobos Alpha which serves as a test-bed prototype. All of the surviving models of these remain at MOD Boscombe Down. Phobos Type-A "Needle Threader" The Type-A only entered limited production during its time in operation, this model sacrifices weapon bays within the airframe for a unique retractable wing design that allows it to alter the width of its profile to that of a standard Stargate. Used during the early years of SEF exploration, the Type-A was envisioned as a rapidly deployed Close Air Support craft that could be lowered into the Gate Room at MOD Corsham and launched via gate into the atmosphere of a planet, or operated from an off-world Beta Site. Following the 2019 remodel of MOD Corsham Earth-based gate-launch is largely impossible and without a designated Beta Site, the majority of Type-A's have been mothballed or cannibalised for SEF Research Division purposes. Phobos Type-B Full Production The Type-B is the primary fighter craft of the Royal Air Force of Great Britain and the primary interceptor and escort fighter of the United Earth Government Space Fleet, it is carried aboard vessels in support of the multi-role F-305 Multirole Combat Starfighter and B-306 Bomber manufactured by the United States. Back to Scientific Database Category:Ships Category:Earth Tech